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Fendi Couture’s poetic Orphic vision

Just when you thought you were going to drown in a sea of fawning bloggers, hyper indulgent technique, overblown spectacle and conservative homages to fashion houses’ DNA, along came Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Fendi to make us finally dream.

“You may not believe this, but 80% of these clothes were not even made of fur,” trumpeted Karl Lagerfeld in the backstage of the Palais Brongniart, France’s former stock exchange.

Inspired by the Orphic Cubism art movement with its obsession with geometric patterns and bright abstraction, the collection had a wonderful artistic bent – seen in the remarkable circular motifs that covered many stunning coats.

“Actually that was made of shearling,” Silvia Fendi politely corrected one enquiring editor at the backstage look-board, pointing to a to-die-for honey-colored coat with the famed multiple circles pioneered by Czech painter František Kupka, which had to be made of mink, but no, it was actually made of shearling.

A remarkable multicolored coat that recalled Robert Delaunay’s vertical abstract architecture paintings seemed certain to have been made of shearling but was in fact organza; a truly opulent black astrakhan broad-shoulder coat that reeked class turned out to be velvet. While a stupendous abstract bolero with fringed wrap skirt that seemed to have stepped off a Sonia Delaunay painting was uncannily like leather but instead was in organza.

Quite rightly, the collection was named Fendi Couture, as opposed to its previous more restrictive title, Fendi Fourrure.

All worn by a cast shod in multimedia Memphis meets Cubism shoes, with heels composed of Perspex, maple and horn.

Above and beyond the technique was the sheer refinement of the vision, its rarefied colors and its punchy gentility. A relief after a season which has swung between the technically audacious and the tired and formulaic.

That said, the show was also a brilliant Paris debut for Fendi’s latest CEO Serge Brunschwig, who positively radiated contentment. Even if his two predecessors, Michael Burke and Pietro Beccari, were also both backstage to enjoy a little reflected glory.

Asked about a recent opinion piece in the New York Times that LVMH, and rivals Kering and Richemont were all divesting themselves of smaller brands in their portfolios, in order to prepare for major new acquisitions, Arnault scoffed: “Boh! We haven’t sold very much. Listen, great brands are like great paintings, the smart thing is to hold on them!”

Set to take place from 21 to 24 January, Paris Haute Couture Week has unveiled an intense programme featuring a highly anticipated show from Balmain, which is making its big comeback after a 16-year absence.

Next May, the luxury giant will award a prize for the best customer experience solutions for the group’s labels to a start-up. Eligible start-ups must have less than 10 years in business and 100 employees.